Improvement in fly-traps



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN FLY-TRAPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 43,2 i 2, dated J une 21, 1864.

.T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID LAKE, of Smiths Landing, in the county of Atlantic and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Machine for Catching Flies; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which like colors and like letters and gures refer to like parts, and in which- Figure l represents a perspective view of the trap; Fig. 2, a bottom View of the trap,

y with the receptacle and bait-trough removed;

Fig. 3, an end view of the receptacle, in which the part K is shown in two positionsone by yellow paint, the other by dotted lines; Fig. 4, a top View of the bait-trough.

In the drawings, l) D represent the receptacle forthefiies,which may be partly filled with soap-ends or any other `suitable fluid for the purpose of drowning the flies, so that the upper part of the receptacle will not be as full of them as it otherwise would be, thereby allowing the more free access of the light into the receptacle.

Dl is the lid or cover, made of perforated tin, wire-gauze, or any transparent substance.

F is the box containing the clock-work.

Z is the baitwheel, with its flanges Y Y and stops U U, Sac., which wheel is fastened tothe shaft V and is caused to revolve in the direction of the arrow R, by which the flies, when they alight upon it, are carried under the cap T T'. VThe cap T T is rigidly fixed to the tube J and side of the box F, concentric with the bait-wheel Z, and made wide enough to prol ject over the outer flange ofthe wheel Z, so as to rest upon the stay-plate H. The flanges and stops upon the bait-wheel Z must be deep enough to let the flies be carried freely under the cap T T', and the space between the cap and stops or flan ges must not be great enough to let a fly pass out. That part of the cap marked T' is made of perforated tin or any substance that will freely admit the light; that part marked T is made of any substance that will exclude the light, by which means the spaces between the stops, when they are under that part of the cap marked T, become darkened recesses, receiving but little light,

and the most of that through the tube J, which A leads from these darkened recesses into the receptacle, and through which the dies seeing the light coming from the window M (which is placed in the end of the receptacle opposite to the tube J) they immediately pass out into the receptacle or are carried down into the bait-trough C, where they become drowned in the bait mixture.

K is a sliding valve, for the purpose of closing the opening into the receptacle when the same is removed for any purpose, as shown in Fig. 3, wherein 3 represents the opening for receiving the tube J, and K the'valve, and the dotted lines the position of the valve when the opening is closed.

O O are guides for the purpose of keeping the valve K in its place. They extend down a little below the tube J, so as to form guides for it when the receptacle is to be attached. They also have stops, so as to prevent the valve K from fallingany farther than to close the opening 3. y

C is the bait-trough, which is made just wide enough to allow the bait-wheel Z to work freely therein, and a little longer than the diameter of the said bait-wheel. It has a knob or thumbpiece, B, for the purpose of aiding in removing it. It has placed across it, near the right end, as shown in Fig. 4, an arc of a circle, S, which is concentric with the baitwheel, as shown by the purple line S in Fig. l, for the purpose of keeping the flies from getting into it. v

L L are the guides to the bait-trough, one of which is firmly attached to the end of the box F. It is also rigidly secured to the tube J The other is firmly attached to the side of the box F, in such a position as to let the baittrough slide up between them to its proper place, as shown in Fig. l, where it is secured by a sliding bolt in the bottom of the box F, as shown by P in Fig. 2, where the bait-trough is removed and the sliding bolt P is pushed out, ready to admit the bait-trongh, which, after being pushed up to its proper place, is secured by pushing in the sliding bolt P.

H is the stay-plate, which may be either a circular plate or segment thereof, and of such a diameter as to just fit the concave side of the cap T T. It has two rests, 2 2, which rest upon the shoulders l l, which are fastened to the guides L L. The shaft V passes through the center of this plate and turns therein. The

plate is fastened upon the shaft by a pin or other device, so that it will be about one-eighth or one-sixteenth of an inch from the bait-wheel Z, by which the shaft V is held firmly in its place.

To use the trap, fill the bait-trough with a mixture of molasses and vinegar, or any other suit-able liquid for bait, so that the bait-wheel will revolve through it, and thereby become b tited. If the receptacle is not attached, take and place it sot-hat the end of the tube J will be between the guides O O and under the sliding valve K; then let down the receptacle, which will raise the sliding valve so as to let the tube enter the opening by pressing the receptacle in the proper direction. Wind up the clock-work, and then the machine is in working order. When the receptacle becomes filled with fiies, draw it from the tube, and the sliding valve will immediately fall and close the opening,` so as to prevent the flies from escaping, which may then be killed by scalding them with hot water or otherwise. When the bait-trough becomes filled so as to stop the revolution of the bait-wheel, it must also be cle'red out.

I am aware that it is not new to construct a fly-trap with a revolving baited wheel to carry the flies into a receptacle where they rniy be conned. I am also aware that the receptacle into which the flies are received has been lighted through a window in 4order to attract them thereto. Both these features are described in Letters Patent granted to J. B.

Fuller and G. W. Pierce on the 16th of February, 1850.

The following are among the advantages of my invention:

First.. It is self-baiting.

Second. The bait-trough also serves as a certain preventive against the escape of any llies which may have been carried around on the wheel. jections upon the periphery of the wheel are inclined backward, so as to avoid taking rp an undue quantity of the liquid, and also to prevent taking up ies from the trough.

Third. The manner of connecting the drum with the receiving-chamber, and the use of a gauze covering over the latter causes the flies to pass more freely into the chamber and renders their removal therefrom more easy.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination and arrangement ofthe bait wheel Z, bait-trough G, guides L L, shoulders l l, cap T T, sliding bolt P, and stayplate H, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination and arrangement ofthe tube J, opening 3, sliding valve K, and guides O O, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

DAVID LAKE.

Witnesses:

J oHN H. LAKE, LUcAs LAKE.

For this purpose the stops or prc= A 

